Painful Echoes
by Nixa Jane
Summary: Trouble at the SGC sparks memories of a past mission for Jack. COMPLETED
1. Part One

Painful Echoes by Layton Colt  
  
Trouble at the SGC sparks memories of a past mission for Jack.  
  
Author's Notes: I just recently saw season two of Stargate . . . and until I had I don't think I realized just how cool Jack O'Neill really is. In the episode 'Secrets' he throws a knife at Heru-ur and it slices through the center of his ribbon device. Jack is truly an amazing character, and much as I love Daniel, I thought it was time I wrote something more focused on Jack.  
  
Daniel is still a pretty big part of this story, and so is Sam but I don't think I put much of Teal'c in. I'm trying to get better at ignoring key characters in my stories but I've got to take it one step at a time.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
The mission was simple. Simple. How could it have gone so wrong?  
  
Jack dropped to the ground as shots flew past him. He brought his rifle off and fired of two shots. The sound of gunfire abruptly stopped. Jack stood back up, the two men he'd shot lie dead a couple of feet away.  
  
And past them . . .  
  
Jack scrubbed a hand over his face. Why was it, that nothing could ever go as planned? He had a feeling that, that was a part of his life that wouldn't ever change.  
  
"Come in! Captain O'Neill, are you there? Jack, answer me damn it!"  
  
"I'm here Kowalski," Jack said tiredly. "The target is dead. So are a couple of his men and . . . they killed Meyers before I could get them."  
  
"Jesus," Kowalski said. "David's dead?"  
  
"Yes."  
  
Jack walked over to the body of his friend. His eyes were closed peacefully in death. A single shot to the heart. Perfectly aimed. But Jack took little comfort in the fact his friend hadn't suffered -- dead was dead.  
  
Meyers was just a kid, he thought angrily. Four years younger than Jack's twenty-three.  
  
He heard footsteps behind him, and had turned and aimed his rifle in an instant.  
  
Kowalski held up his hands in surrender. "Hey, don't shoot!"  
  
Jack lowered the gun, but his defensive stance did not alter.  
  
Kowalski looked over at their dead comrade, "Jesus," he said. "What happened? This was supposed to be in and out."  
  
"They knew we were coming, Charlie," Jack said. "They knew we were here."  
  
"What are you saying?" Kowalski asked.  
  
"I think we've got a mole." Jack's tone was deadly and a shiver ran down Kowalski's spine.  
  
Jack could make him laugh so hard and could always lighten the mood in an instant. Sometimes Kowalski forgot that Jack could become so cold . . . so deadly.  
  
If there was a mole, he was responsible for Meyers's death. The death of Jack's self-appointed charge.  
  
Kowalski turned and watched as Jack stormed off. God himself wouldn't be able to protect the poor bastard if Jack ever caught up with him.  
  
When, Kowalski amended. There was no doubt in his mind Jack would find out who was responsible.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Jack's eyes shot open and surveyed his office. He was disoriented by the memory. It had been a long time since he had thought of Meyers's death and the events that had followed.  
  
He knew why he was remembering now. There was a spy in the SGC. One of Maybourne's people most likely, though they couldn't prove it.  
  
Things had been going missing . . . reports have been misplaced. And the jerks at Nellis knew way more than they should. It was true that Area 51 had the same clearance as the SGC, but due to their lack of morals, Hammond and O'Neill chose what to tell them very carefully.  
  
But now there was a spy. Jack hated spies. Not that he hadn't ever done reconnaissance himself . . . but he was always on the side of right. Whatever that was.  
  
Jack looked up as someone tapped on his door, "Come in,"  
  
Daniel entered and flopped into the chair across his desk. "You know that artifact we got from PP3834?"  
  
"Ah . . . no, actually," Jack said. "Refresh my memory."  
  
Daniel rolled his eyes, "Well, you described it as the small silver ball with the flashy blue thingies on it."  
  
"Oh that," Jack smiled. "I remember that. What's the problem?"  
  
"It's missing, Jack. I mean it just disappeared!" Daniel's voice rose as he talked. He was very protective of his rocks.  
  
Jack frowned at this. He had an idea where it might have gone. NID's mole. But what in the world would they want with *that* of all things. "Did you ever find out what it was?" Jack asked.  
  
Daniel spared Jack an impatient glance, "In three hours, Jack? If you remember I barely got to scratch the surface before we had another mission."  
  
"We're a field unit, Daniel," Jack reminded for the second time in only that day.  
  
"Yea, yea," he said frustrated. "I know that, but where has it gone? It was here when I left . . . you don't think they sent it over to Maybourne already, do you?" Daniel's eyes widened at the thought. "They won't have a clue what they're doing!"  
  
"Hammond didn't say anything about transferring it to Nellis," Jack in a placating tone. "I'm sure it's still here somewhere."  
  
Or not. Jack knew it had probably already been taken off base by the SGC's very own spy. But Hammond had told Jack not to tell anyone . . . including his team.  
  
"Don't you have something else you can work on until it turns up?" Jack asked evasively.  
  
"Jack! A potential dangerous alien device has just gone missing and you want me to work on something else?"  
  
"Daniel, I'll handle this, alright?" Jack snapped. He instantly regretted his tone. Daniel hadn't done anything wrong. He was the one who had been ordered to lie.  
  
"How exactly?" Daniel asked. "Jack you know as well as I do it's probably already at Area 51, right next to those death gliders you brought back from Apophis's ship and all the other things *we* found but aren't allowed to study."  
  
Jack gave a long-suffering sigh. Sometimes Daniel was just to smart for his own damn good. "Or maybe it's still somewhere on base, I'll look into it alright?"  
  
"Jack . . . what's wrong?"  
  
Jack's head snapped up at the concern in the younger man's voice. Only Daniel could go from ranting to being worried in less than a second.  
  
"Nothing's wrong," Jack said. His tone was light and casual. Sometimes he hated that he could lie so well.  
  
"You sure?" Daniel asked. "You're acting kind of--"  
  
"I'm fine, Daniel, you're always complaining about not having enough time to work on translations and here you are wasting it."  
  
Daniel's lips quirked into a slight smile, "Is that your polite way of asking me to leave?"  
  
"I have work to do, Daniel,"  
  
"Well this is a switch," Daniel said with a grin as he stood and started for the door. "Jack, about that artifact, it's really important--"  
  
"I'll find it, Daniel," Jack promised.  
  
Daniel flashed Jack one of his rare smiles, "Thanks."  
  
Jack leaned back in his chair as Daniel left. He'd find Daniel's missing rock, but first, he was going to find the one who had taken it.  
  
to be continued . . .  
  
I said I wasn't going to start anymore stories until I finished my others but this came to me after I'd watched the entire season two on DVD. I'll also be writing a story that's a sequel of sorts to Need. I'm going to be so busy . . . but as long as I just skip doing my school work, I should have plenty of time to write.  
  
I'd really appreciate feedback on this, because I'm not sure I'm going to finish it, joking aside I do have lots of school work and I've got a new puppy . . . named Jack. Don't know where that name came from. Tell me if you think I should continue. 


	2. Part Two

Painful Echoes by Layton Colt  
  
  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
The sounds of crying and trumpets melted together as Jack stood stiffly at attention. Kowalski was next to him, watching with the same troubled eyes as their friend David Meyers was lowered into the ground.  
  
The mother was across from them, huddled in an embrace with David's inconsolable girlfriend. They were both crying. They both devastated.  
  
Jack turned away as the ceremony ended. Wondering how it had completed so fast. He didn't even remember hearing the words spoken about his lost friend. What good would words do now, anyway?  
  
Kowalski called after him as he walked across the cemetery but Jack didn't answer or slow his brisk pace. He couldn't be here now. He couldn't face all of the crying eyes and shattered souls. David had been under his command, his responsibility.  
  
Jack couldn't face his family knowing the part he'd played in his death.  
  
He pulled out his car keys and slipped into the front seat of his gray 57' Chevy. Kowalski had given up on trying to follow him, he stood despondently near a stone angel, halfway between the tearful crowd of mourners and Jack.  
  
Jack met Kowalski's eyes briefly, the sun was illuminating his friend from behind and Jack thought that it seemed wrong somehow. Wasn't it supposed to rain at funerals? Jack ripped his eyes from Charlie's sympathetic gaze. He couldn't face him now, either.  
  
He headed back to the base, trying to forget the look in David's mother's eyes. Trying not to remember how his renowned father, General Meyers had broken down in front of him. He just focused on fixing this. On making things right.  
  
He didn't care that he'd been given two weeks leave. Or that his CO had wanted him to see a therapist. He didn't need therapy, or time alone with his thoughts. He needed to keep going. He needed revenge. He needed to destroy the one responsible for his friends' death.  
  
Jack reached the base on auto pilot, returning the clipped nods of his comrades without conscious thought. "Jeffries," he said as he entered the briefing room.  
  
Lieutenant Evan Jeffries looked up, startled at the abrupt appearance of the legendary Jack O'Neill. "Yes, sir," he asked meekly.  
  
"Has Holton been looking into my theory?" he asked shortly.  
  
Jeffries shook his head, "He doesn't believe we have a mole," he said. "He thinks that it was just a coincidence."  
  
Jack clenched his fists. He didn't believe in coincidences.  
  
"He isn't even going to consider the possibility?" Jack knew the answer of course. It was more of a statement than a question and Jeffries merely nodded in response.  
  
Jack cursed and collapsed in the nearest chair. The mission had been a simple hit. Another faceless target his team had been ordered to kill. But this target had known they were coming, Jack was sure. They had been prepared for an attack, although certainly not prepared enough.  
  
Jack had reacted quickly, taken the target out before the people he'd paid to protect him were able to react. Then the hidden sniper began shooting and Jack had watched David fall.  
  
Jack placed his head in his hands. He could hear Jeffries nervous breathing to his right. The lieutenant probably didn't know how to react, seeing him lose his cool. It was something that happened rarely and that he never indulged in when around others.  
  
But he needed to think. Apparently the target had been a danger to national security, and needed to be taken out. He'd been threatening to expose one of the militaries many secrets. So Jack had been told to find him, and to kill him. They'd warned him that the man was powerful, and that he had many followers.  
  
It made since he'd have a contact in the military. But he wasn't surprised General Holton was too short sighted to see that. He'd have to call in a marker.  
  
Jack lifted his head, the fire in his eyes had been ignited again. The smile that appeared on Jack's tired features scared the hell out of Jeffries.  
  
General West, Jack thought with triumph. General West owed him, and he was about to pay up.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Jack stalked down the halls of the SGC. He really didn't need these memories right now. He had enough on his mind as it was without having to remember all the old feelings of guilt and anger over David's death.  
  
He'd always blamed himself, blamed himself almost as much as the man who had pulled the trigger, almost as much as the man who had warned the target they were coming.  
  
Every time he had lost someone under his command it had been hard but it was different with David. David had been different.  
  
Jack sighed as he reached General Hammond's office. David had been different the same way SG-1 was. He'd gotten too attached, seen David as more of a little brother than a soldier.  
  
He'd sworn then he'd never do it again . . . but of course he had. He'd found another little brother in Daniel, a brother in Teal'c and a sister in Carter. Well . . . okay, maybe his feelings for Carter weren't exactly sisterly. But he cared too much for her, for all of his team.  
  
And despite that he knew he was only setting himself up to get hurt again, he couldn't stop.  
  
Jack tapped twice on the General's door, and entered when Hammond called for him to come in.  
  
"Colonel O'Neill, have you learned anything more about the situation I informed you of?"  
  
"The spy?" Jack asked plainly. "No, sir, I haven't. I just wanted ask if I could bring my team in on this."  
  
"Jack--" the General started.  
  
"I know what you said, General, but I'm asking you to reconsider."  
  
"The less people that know, Colonel, the better."  
  
"I respectfully disagree, sir," Jack said earnestly. "The more people we bring on this the more help we have."  
  
"And if we unknowingly inform the spy?" Hammond asked shortly.  
  
"Are you suggesting one of my team might be a spy, sir?" O'Neill's tone was incredulous.  
  
Hammond sighed, "No, of course not. But I'm not even sure about this Jack. It's just a hunch I've got."  
  
"I need Carter's help on this," Jack said quietly. "And Daniel and Teal'c could be a lot of help too. We're a team, sir. We work best when it's together."  
  
Jack sat patiently waiting for the General to respond. Jack knew he could locate the spy without any help, he'd done this kind of thing single- handedly before, but he was a part of a team now.  
  
And lying to Daniel about where his artifact probably was had been harder than he'd expected. He'd felt guilty about leaving them in the dark, and afraid that it put them at risk.  
  
He'd been in this situation before, and his experience told him it was best if he informed his team.  
  
"Alright, Colonel," Hammond said, "You can tell them. But just SG-1. No one else, understood?"  
  
"Understood, sir," Jack said with a smile.  
  
As Jack left the General's office the smile slowly faded from his face. He was glad he could tell his team, but he'd just realized what would happen when he did.  
  
He'd already lied to Daniel. Daniel was smart, he'd realize that Jack had known this morning when Daniel had told him about the missing artifact.  
  
Shit. Daniel would not be happy with him. He doubted Teal'c and Carter would be happy with being left in the dark for so long, either.  
  
Jack continued on regardless. They deserved to know.  
  
He went to Daniel's office first, and he wasn't sure if he should be grateful or worried when he found that Sam and Teal'c were there as well.  
  
"Ah, hey guys," he said.  
  
"Colonel," Sam smiled. "We were just talking about maybe going out for pizza. We were going to track you down and see if you wanted to go."  
  
Jack shook his head and went over the to the couch. As he collapsed onto it he looked at them regretfully, "I'm afraid something's come up. It seems we have a spy in the SGC."  
  
"A spy!" Daniel cried.  
  
Three . . . two . . . one . . .  
  
"Hey, you knew about this, didn't you?" Daniel accused. "That's why you were acting so weird in your office earlier."  
  
"Daniel--" Jack started but Carter interrupted.  
  
"What are you talking about, sir? What kind of a spy?"  
  
"We're not sure," Jack said, relieved that Carter at least didn't seem angry with him. "NID, maybe,"  
  
Carter nodded, "What are we going to do?"  
  
Daniel leaned back in his chair, arms crossed as he glared defiantly at O'Neill. "It's this spy that took my artifact, isn't it Jack?"  
  
"Probably," he admitted.  
  
"We have to get it back!"  
  
"Daniel, there's a little bit of a bigger picture to all of this. We need to stop this spy before they do any real damage."  
  
"Yes, but Jack, we don't know what that thing does, it looked like Goa'uld technology. What if it's what they use to cause damage."  
  
"The object did indeed resemble Goa'uld technology," Teal'c said. "Although I have never before seen such a device."  
  
"Alright," Jack said. "So we find them and the device,"  
  
Daniel nodded and focused on the task at hand. "So you think it's someone working here? Or someone from Washington or Nellis?"  
  
"I think they're here," Jack said. "We haven't had that many outside visitors lately and things have been going missing."  
  
Daniel shot up in his seat, "Things? What kind of things?"  
  
Jack lifted his hand and rubbed the back of his neck, "Things like the ribbon device and the healing device we brought back from Cimmeria."  
  
Daniel's eyes narrowed, "What do they want with those? They should stay here, I mean Carter's the only who can use them."  
  
Carter's eyes lit up and she started to pace, "That's it! I know how to catch them!"  
  
Her team all turned to look at her, "How?" Daniel and Jack asked simultaneously.  
  
Carter grinned, "We can use me as bait."  
  
to be continued . . .  
  
I know this part is short too, but I don't think this is going to be a very long story. I'm going to continue as I have been, the first half will be a flashback, and then it will skip forward to the present.  
  
And in case anyone is wondering, this story takes place second season, sometime after 'Thor's Chariot'. 


	3. Part Three

Painful Echoes by Layton Colt  
  
Author's Note's: Sorry for the delay on this story. Happenstance, my Voyager/Stargate crossover WIP has been taking up most of my time. I've got about twenty pages written now, and SG-1 is only just appearing, which is going to make the story even more fun to write and probably make this story take even longer to finish.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Jack O'Neill walked confidently down the gray corridors and made his way quickly to General West's office. Jack knew that West was still involved in some very secretive stuff -- perhaps even more so than himself -- and he was hoping that the General might have some useful connections.  
  
He was pretty sure that West would help him out. Jack had been on the team that went to save a young soldier from Iraqi forces. The young soldier had been Simon West, and it had been only due to Jack's leadership that he had been saved. Simon and Jack had even become close, before Jack had been caught up in the more shady side of the military, a side of the military General West worked hard at shielding his only son from.  
  
Jack reached the door and leaned against the wall. The door had been open -- saving him the trouble of barging in -- and the General hadn't noticed him yet. He studied the older man for a moment, observing how much more gray he had from the last time he had seen him, and how the lines around his eyes had spread, making him look older than his years than his forty seven years.  
  
Finally the General looked up from his papers, alerted to a presence by the tingling feeling of being watched. "Captain O'Neill," he said in surprise.  
  
Jack smiled, flashing his white teeth and filling the General with dread. Jack was dangerous when he smiled.  
  
"General West," the young captain greeted. "It's been a long time."  
  
The General sighed impatiently and waved Jack in. "Alright, son, why don't we just get straight to the point? This is obviously not a social call."  
  
Jack entered, changing his smile from wolfish to disarming in an instant. He slide in to the seat across from the General and rested his hands on the edge of the arm rests, his right hand tapping along the wood surface. "There's a spy posted at my base," he said bluntly.  
  
The Genera's expression remained neutral. "Jack, you are Special Forces, that base has more security than the White House."  
  
Jack ignored the exaggeration. "General, there's a spy on my base, I'm sure of it. I need you to help me find out who it is."  
  
West narrowed his eyes. "Why haven't you gone to Holton with this?"  
  
"Holton is a fool," Jack said vaguely, ignoring the fact that he was insulting a senior officer. "I was hoping you'd have more common sense."  
  
"What is it that you want, Jack?"  
  
Jack smiled brightly. "Not much. All you have to do is give me a list of all the new officers transferred to the base in the last two months. I'd get it myself, but Holton's locked me out. Apparently he thinks I need time off."  
  
West gave him a look that showed clearly he agreed with Holton, but didn't call him on it. "Why two months?" he asked.  
  
Jack shook his head in frustration. "They had to have come recently. Things started to go wrong a couple of weeks ago. I don't know who's new, they discourage us from talking to other teams. There's people working on that base I've never met, and that's something I've never been comfortable with."  
  
General West nodded. "I think I'll be able to get the clearance and get the list for you. What are you going to do until them?"  
  
Jack shrugged. "I guess I'll just head back to base -- maybe ask some questions."  
  
"Don't step on too many toes, Jack," West warned. "And for crying out loud, don't ever tell Holton what you think of him."  
  
Jack grinned. "I wouldn't dream of it."  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
"No," Jack said firmly. "Carter, we are not going to use you as bait."  
  
"Jack," Daniel said thoughtfully. "Sam might be on to something."  
  
"I'm not using one of my people as bait," Jack growled angrily. "We're dealing with dangerous people Daniel, maybe you don't understand that."  
  
Daniel gave him a derisive glance. "You're right, Jack. What do I know about dealing with dangerous people?"  
  
Teal'c came to stand between the two men, before the slight disagreement turned into one of their full blown shouting matches.  
  
"We aren't doing this and that's final," Jack told them.  
  
"But they need her, Jack," Daniel said. "They can study those devices all they want -- without Sam, they'll never get them to work."  
  
"Sir," Sam said. "I can take care of myself if things go wrong."  
  
"I never thought otherwise, Carter, but even the best can be caught off guard."  
  
"Jack, there's a lot at stake here. If this person is really right here, working beside us everyday, then they could sabotage us if they see fit. For all we know, they have already. This is the easiest way to get them to show themselves, and you have to remember, we're dealing with the NID, not the Goa'ulds, they're human -- just like us."  
  
Jack avoided looking at Daniel. His speech was, as always, infuriatingly practical. "I don't know about that," he said as he finally looked up. "You really think Maybourne is human?"  
  
Daniel smiled. "You have me there," he admitted.  
  
"Alright," Jack said with a sigh. "Carter, you sure you're alright with this?"  
  
"Of course, sir," she said with a grin. "It was my idea."  
  
"Right, thank you for that, by the way. Okay, I'm going to go report the items missing, we've been keeping it under wraps until now. But if I make a point of saying that whoever took them won't be able to test them without you, we might get a reaction from our spy. Teal'c, I want you to stick to Carter--"  
  
"Sir!" Sam interrupted. "I don't need a babysitter!"  
  
"Consider it backup, Carter," Jack said patiently. "You could be Rambo, and I still wouldn't set you up as bait and then send you out without someone watching your back."  
  
Carter blushed and looked down. "Of course, sir."  
  
"Daniel," Jack said turning to the archeologist. "I want you to do some research. While I go set a trap for our spy, I want you to look through the personnel files and tell me if you see anything suspicious, okay?"  
  
Daniel nodded. "Sure, Jack."  
  
"Okay, team, let's get to it."  
  
to be continued . . .  
  
Sorry this is so short! Again. I'm hoping to get this story wrapped up in two more parts, but considering how short I've been making them, it might take three.  
  
I kind of got distracted from this story with 'Happenstance' and another Jack-focused story, 'Charlie.' In 'Charlie,' Jack starts receiving strange phone calls from a child claiming to be his son. Daniel and the rest of SG- 1 need to help him find out what's going on, and they discover a conspiracy that goes all the way up to Maybourne -- who else? -- 


	4. Part Four

The Past  
  
Jack stalked down the halls of his base. He'd questioned a few members of the other teams--but to no avail. Those who he asked questions to gave vague, cautious, answers, if they spoke at all. The base was so closed off and paranoid, the spy could be anyone.  
  
There was distrust everywhere. Maybe that was the price of playing these games of deception--you could never trust anyone else.  
  
"Jack!"  
  
Captain Jack O'Neill turned around at the voice of his friend. He hadn't spoken to Kowalski since the funeral, not that they had truly spoken even then.  
  
"Kowalski, what is it?"  
  
"This came for you," Charlie said. "It's from General West. Jack, aren't you off duty?"  
  
Jack ignored the question and snapped the manila folder from Charlie's grasp. "He got it already?" he asked in admiration.  
  
"Got what? What is that, Jack? I thought that Holton took you off--"  
  
"Holton's an idiot," Jack said, belatedly looking behind him to make sure no one had overheard. When the hall behind him was empty, he turned back to Kowalski. "Look, I can't talk to you about this right now, okay? Let's just say, whoever's responsible for what happened to David is going to get what's coming to them."  
  
He could feel Kowalski's eyes on him as he walked away. The man was radiating concern and disappointment. Kowalski was probably the only person left he could truly call a friend. With David gone, he didn't have anyone else, and he knew he shouldn't be pushing him away. But Kowalski was a soldier, he didn't need Jack to give him constant reassurances that they were buddies. Kowalski understood. Not like David. He'd used to have to take David to the pool hall at least once a week, just to show the young man he hadn't forgotten him.  
  
David hadn't been a soldier, even if he had worn the same uniform as him. He never should have been here. The young Lieutenant may have been enlisted, but he didn't have the heart of a killer, and whoever had assigned him to this team must have been out of their minds.  
  
______________________________________________________  
  
The Present  
  
Jack sighed and headed back towards his office. He had explained the plan to the General. The General had screamed, "What part of only your team and no one else did you misunderstand?" Jack had pushed the issue anyway--and once again he'd gotten his way.  
  
He had filed the report on the missing items, and then spoken about it with Lt. Marian Cross, the bases resident gossip queen. He had told her the whole thing was very 'hush, hush,' so he was confident everyone would know what was going on before lunch.  
  
Sam and Teal'c were in her lab while she ran did some experiments, and Daniel was looking through the personnel files. He was confident his team would be able to handle things for their end, but he had nothing left to do. That was the thing about traps, all you can do is wait after they've been set.  
  
He heard shouting voices around the next corner, and increased his pace. Two airmen were leaning over an unconscious figure on the floor. He quickly ran over to them. "What happened?" he demanded. Recognizing the unconscious man on the floor as one of their newest recruits, Lt. Marks.  
  
"We don't know, sir," one of the airmen said shakily. "We just found him like this."  
  
Jack cursed and slammed a hand down on the emergency alarm on the wall. The spy was getting careless.  
  
_________________________  
  
Sam was just printing out the results to her latest test on the naquaada reactor when the emergency klaxons started to blare. Teal'c rose to his feet instantly, starting for the door. He turned back around when Sam didn't immediately follow.  
  
"Major Carter?" Teal'c prompted.  
  
"I'll be right behind you, Teal'c," Sam told him distractedly, watching the printer. "I want to make sure this gets recorded correctly first."  
  
Teal'c looked reluctant, so Sam continued, "The Colonel might need you help, Teal'c. I'll be there in a minutes--but this is really important."  
  
Teal'c nodded and jogged out the door. Sam turned back to the printer, watching it anxiously and willing it to go faster. She was trying to get the naquaada reactor more efficient, something she'd been working on for months and she was finally having a break through--but at the moment, she just was dying to get to her friends and find out what was wrong.  
  
The results finally finished printing, and she pulled them out of the carriage. She scanned over them quickly, smiling at the results, and set them down. She darted towards the door, and nearly crashed into the person trying to enter.  
  
Sam frowned. "Major? What are you doing?"  
  
The man pushed his way in, pulling a gun out from behind him and aiming it at Sam's chest. He slammed the door behind them closed.  
  
"Major Sam Carter, I presume?" he said. "I'm going to need you to come with me." 


	5. Part Five

The Past  
  
Jack leaned back in his chair. He was in the rec room of the base--but it was abandoned and the only place he was able to find himself some peace and quiet. He looked over the names on the list. There were only three of them.  
  
Lieutenant Evan Jeffries.  
  
Captain Michael Walsh.  
  
Captain Charles Kowalski.  
  
Jack ran a ran a hand across his face. So that only left him with two choices. Walsh and Jeffries. No way it was Kowalski. Jack sighed. He knew it couldn't be. But could he rule him out without question and still do his job?  
  
He'd known that Kowalski was new here--but the thought that he'd come around the same time as things began going wrong had never clicked.  
  
"O'Neill, what the hell do you think you're doing?"  
  
Jack looked up distractedly, and straight into the harsh eyes of Major General Morris Holton. Jack quickly set the papers aside and rose to attention. "General," he said quickly.  
  
"I asked you a question, Captain."  
  
"Yes, sir. I was sitting, sir."  
  
The General's complexion reddened. "What are you doing here, Captain? I could have sworn I put you on leave."  
  
"Yes, sir, you did. But I had a few things to take care of before I left."  
  
"I didn't give you permission to take care of anything. I told you to get off the base."  
  
"With all due respect, sir, if you aren't going to do anything about this I should."  
  
Holton sneered at him. "About what?"  
  
"We have a spy."  
  
"Not this again. Captain, I've told you--"  
  
"What you told me made no sense, sir. You aren't all knowing. There's no way you can be as sure as you are that we aren't harboring a spy."  
  
"I've just had about enough of this insubordination, Captain. Do I need to have escorted off base? Perhaps permanently?"  
  
"No, sir," Jack said tightly. "I was just leaving."  
  
"Good choice, Captain."  
  
Jack grabbed his paper and stalked out of the room. Holton couldn't be that stupid. Jack couldn't believe anyone with the rank of General could be so clueless.  
  
Jack stopped in his tracks. So what if he wasn't? What if he already knew about the spy. What if he was the spy.?  
  
"Jack?"  
  
Jack turned around. Kowalski was in front of him, watching him with concern. "Are you still here? I just heard Holton ranting about you--Jack, you should get out of here."  
  
"I know," Jack said distractedly. "But I can't leave quite yet."  
  
"Jack," Kowalski began.  
  
Jack held up a hand. "I know what I'm doing. Don't worry about it."  
  
"What's going on here, Jack?" Kowalski demanded. "Is there something I should know?"  
  
Jack looked into the eyes of his friend, but couldn't see past his name being at the bottom of that list. "No. No, there isn't anything you should know."  
  
______________________________________________________  
  
The Present  
  
The annoying emergency klaxons had finally quieted down, and Daniel could think again. He leaned closer to his computer screen, and scrolled down the list of base personnel. He recognized most of the names. These were people he knew, people he worked with. He was having a hard time believing one of them might be working against them.  
  
He paused when he came to one of the new transfers. A Major Alex Grant. The man had stood out because his record was flawless. Daniel frowned as he read his bio. There wasn't one black mark, and all of his scores were ranked top of his class. But eight months of his service were unaccounted for.  
  
"Bingo," he whispered. He'd bet anything those eight months were spend at an NID training facility.  
  
Daniel grabbed his uniform jacket and headed off to Sam's lab. He knew he should go to Jack first--but he wanted to make sure Sam knew who might be after her.  
  
Daniel wasn't deterred by the door to Sam's lab being closed, he opened it and bounded in without thought. Sam was on the other side of the room, shaking her head at him frantically. "Daniel, don't--!"  
  
Daniel frowned and a hard shove sent him stumbling across the room towards Sam. He turned around, and saw someone slamming the door shut and bolting it locked. He recognized the man from his picture--Alex Grant.  
  
"Dr. Jackson," he said with a smile. "I'm so glad you joined us. I wasn't sure how I was going to be able to get you too. You've made it so much easier."  
  
Daniel ignored him, turning to check on Sam. "Are you alright?" he asked softly.  
  
Grant rolled his eyes. "Don't worry, Doctor. I haven't harmed a hair on her pretty little head. Not yet. And, if you cooperate, I won't have to."  
  
"If I cooperate?" Daniel demanded. "I can't use Goa'uld technology. I can't help you."  
  
Grant sighed theatrically. "I know that, Doctor. That isn't why you're here." He placed a silver orb on the counter, small blue lights blinking in the center of it. "I want you to tell me how to use this."  
  
_____________________  
  
Jack watched as the medical team quickly whisked Lt. Marks to the infirmary.  
  
"O'Neill!" Teal'c called. "What has happened?"  
  
"Looks like someone put Marks into a choke hold until he passed out. Frasier says she thinks he'll be fine, though. It's got to be our spy." Jack frowned, and looked over at Teal'c. "Where's Carter?"  
  
"She told me that she would be 'right behind me.'"  
  
Jack looked behind Teal'c. "She isn't," he said. "Great. Alright, let's go pull her away from her precious reactor. I don't want her out of my sight until this is over. I'm beginning to think making her the bait for this guy was not a good idea."  
  
Teal'c nodded and they headed straight to Carter's lab. Jack frowned when he saw the door closed. He pounded on it. "Hey, Carter. Open up."  
  
There was no answer, and Jack shared a concerned look with Teal'c. He tried the handle, but the door wouldn't give. "It's bolted," he hissed. "Damn it. He's in there with her. Teal'c, go find Daniel. I want to know if he's got any idea who we're dealing with yet."  
  
Teal'c nodded and started towards Daniel's office. Jack slammed his hand against the door one last time, before sliding against the wall and placing his head in his hands. 


	6. Part Six

The Past  
  
Jack headed down to the next level, intent on sneaking into the records room. He should probably have taken Kowalski's advice and just left--but the thought that the General could actually have something to do with all of this drove him on.  
  
Holton may not have the respect of his peers, but he did have a lot of power.  
  
It was fairly late, and having nothing but a skeleton crew made it easier for him to slip into records unnoticed. He'd just closed the door behind him when he heard the screech of a sliding chair and a muffled curse.  
  
Jack placed his head in his hands. Someone was already here. He'd been so careful about the people in the hall he hadn't checked to see if someone was here. And they had heard him shut the door.  
  
Jeffries had spun around, a pair of manila folders held tightly in his right hand. He stared at Jack with wide eyes, and Jack gradually relaxed at the other man's apprehension. Jeffries wasn't supposed to be here either.  
  
"Jeffries," he said. "Whatcha doin'?"  
  
"Captain," he gasped. "Um, I'm getting some information for General Holton. He asked me to. I'm--I'm---what are you doing here?"  
  
"A favor for General West," Jack said smoothly.  
  
"General West?" Jeffries eyes continued to widen.  
  
"Yep," Jack said with a grin. He nodded towards the files in Jeffries grip. "So what are those?"  
  
Jeffries held them closer. "That's classified, Captain."  
  
"I'm sure. But you have clearance for them, do you?"  
  
"I'm just taking them to General Holton."  
  
"I'll bet you are," Jack agreed. Jeffries couldn't be doing this by himself. He was just doing the grunt work.  
  
Jack moved closer, deliberately backing Jeffries into a corner. He easily plucked the folders from the shaking man's grasp. "Who are you working for, Jeffries? Holton? Just what are you trying to do here?"  
  
"I don't know what you're talking about," Jeffries said weakly.  
  
"Jeffries, I just caught you in here with some classified files, don't play games. Tell me who it is."  
  
"O'Neill, you don't understand--"  
  
"Tell me," Jack demanded.  
  
"Fine, fine--it's--" Jeffries was cut off as the door to the room swung open. His eyes widened at the new arrival, and before Jack could turn around the sound of a gun going off filled the room. Jeffries slid down the wall, the bullet pierced straight through his forehead.  
  
Jack backed up from the body in shock, and turned towards the shooter.  
  
Holton was in the door way, the gun at his side still smoking. "You just couldn't go home, could you?" he demanded, aiming the gun at Jack. "You're a stupid bastard, O'Neill."  
  
Kowalski barreled into the room a beat before Holton could pull the trigger, and he tackled the General to the floor, trying to wrestle away the gun. Jack started towards them, shouting Kowalski's name.  
  
The gun fired again before he could reach them, and Holton pushed Kowalski off of him. Charlie moaned as he hit the concrete, holding a hand to the bullet wound on his arm.  
  
Jack slammed into Holton before he had a chance to fire another shot, and the gun when sliding across the floor. Holton was trying to push him off, but Jack punched him solidly, knocking him out in the one hit.  
  
People began to file into the room, screaming orders and demanding to know what happened. Jack told them quietly that Holton was a spy, and handed over the files he had taken from Jeffries. He hadn't looked at them, but he was assuming they held something incriminating.  
  
"Jack?"  
  
Jack dropped down beside Kowalski, ignoring the medics efforts to get him out of the way. "Hey. How are you doing? You going to live?"  
  
Kowalski coughed, shooting Jack a mock harsh look. "Like I would let myself die. Don't think I don't know you have designs on my stereo."  
  
Jack grinned. "I'm not in a hurry to get it," he laughed. "I can wait. You stick around, got it?"  
  
"I'm not going anywhere for a long time, O'Neill. There are big things in my future," he grinned.  
  
"Good," Jack said, smiling back. Watching as his friend was loaded on to a gurney and led off. He turned back around. Someone had placed a sheet over Jeffries, and an airman was placing cuffs on the still unconscious General.  
  
He leaned back against the wall, the bustling people around him snapped question after question in his direction--but he didn't answer. He slipped slowly down, placing his head in his hands, and wondered why David's death didn't hurt any less now that the cause of it had been captured.  
  
______________________________________________________  
  
The Present  
  
Daniel looked at his missing device, and then rolled his eyes upwards to look at his captor. "I don't know how to use it," he said.  
  
Grant sighed, aiming the gun at Sam. "I hate it when people make me do this the hard way."  
  
"He's telling the truth," Sam snapped. "He didn't have enough time to figure it out before you stole it."  
  
"I didn't say I didn't figure it out," Daniel said with a grin--causing Sam to look at him in panicked confusion. "I said I didn't know how to use it."  
  
Grant frowned. "I'm not in the mood for games, Doctor."  
  
Daniel grinned widely. "Well that's ironic then."  
  
Grant chocked the gun angrily. "What the hell are you talking about?"  
  
"That's what it is," Daniel said, motioning to the orb. "It's a game. The Goa'uld use it to occupy the time in-between all of their killing and pillaging. I'm sure it was quite entertaining. The text on the side reads that it's 'Fun for all Goa'ulds.'"  
  
"Are you screwing with me, Doctor? Because I'm not bluffing about shooting Carter."  
  
"Oh, I'm quite serious, I assure you. Embarrassing for you, isn't it? All of this for a game. I doubt even NID will waste the time to help you now."  
  
"Daniel," Sam whispered warningly.  
  
"You're lying. It's a bomb. You said in your notes you thought it was a bomb."  
  
"Obviously you were reading my speculative notes. I was guessing it was a bomb--I was able to translate the text and realized I was wrong. If you were planning on using possession of that device to fight your way out of here--I'm afraid you're out of luck."  
  
_____________________  
  
Jack stood by as Siler prepared to burn his way through the labs steel doors. Watching both sides of the halls anxiously for Teal'c to return with Daniel.  
  
"O'Neill."  
  
His relief at hearing Teal'c's voice was short lived. "Where's Daniel?"  
  
Teal'c frowned. "He was not in his office. I consulted security immediately, and they informed me that Daniel Jackson was last seen on the monitors entering Major Carter's lab."  
  
"Great. That's just great. They're BOTH in there?"  
  
"I'm afraid so. As is Major Grant."  
  
"Major Grant?"  
  
"I believe he is the spy, O'Neill. His bio was left on Daniel Jackson's computer screen and he was the only other person, with the exception of Daniel Jackson and Major Carter to enter the lab before the door was bolted closed."  
  
"Why didn't Daniel come straight to me when he figured it out?" Jack snapped. "How many times have I told him--"  
  
"Fifty five times, O'Neill," Teal'c deadpanned.  
  
Jack threw him an assessing glance, trying to judge his sincerity.  
  
Teal'c turned back to the door. "And counting."  
  
_____________________  
  
Grant spun around as Siler began to torch his way through the door. Sam made a slight move forward and he swung back around again, aiming the gun at his two hostages.  
  
"You might as well surrender," Daniel said quietly. "Jack isn't going to be happy when he makes his way through that door."  
  
"You might as well shut up," Grant snapped back. "Because you won't like it if I have to do it for you."  
  
Sam glared at him, moving in front of Daniel slightly. "You're a disgrace, you know that?"  
  
"Spare me the holier than thou' crap, would you, Major? We all gotta do what we gotta do."  
  
"He's right, Sam," Daniel said with a solemn nod. "Some of us are meant to fight evil and save the world. Others to terrorize innocents and attain the alien equivalents of 'Lights Out.'"  
  
Grant stepped towards Daniel angrily, pressing his gun against the younger man's neck. "I thought I told you to shut up?"  
  
"You didn't actually say, shut up. You simply suggested it might be a good idea." Daniel stepped back cautiously. "I think you were probably right."  
  
"Carter," Grant snapped. "I want you to open the door."  
  
Sam looked at him surprised. "What?"  
  
"Open the damn door. Now."  
  
Sam looked at him appraisingly. He didn't seem the type to surrender easily. And walking to the other side of the room would leave Daniel unprotected. She grabbed onto Daniel's sleeve, and slowly began to back up towards the door.  
  
Grant reached out and snagged Daniel's wrist, pulling him back against him into a headlock and holding the gun to his head. "Nice try," he said to Sam. "Now open the door."  
  
"You can't possibly think you'll make it out of the mountain, you'll be shot first chance someone gets," Sam snapped.  
  
"I don't have to make it out of the mountain," Grant said, increasing the his grip around the young man's neck. "I only have to make it to the 'gateroom."  
  
Sam unbolted the door, careful of the sparks coming through from the other side, and glared at him. "You won't make it three steps."  
  
Grant stood in front of the door, Daniel in front of him like a shield. "Open it," he said again.  
  
Sam turned the handle and then stood back.  
  
The door creaked open slowly. Siler had moved back, the visor of his helmet pushed up. Jack was in front of the door, an M16 aimed directly inside the room. Teal'c stood beside him, unarmed, but imposing none the less.  
  
"You have three seconds to let him go," Jack said softly--his voice far too controlled.  
  
"I just want to get to the gateroom," Grant said. "You let me go and he won't get hurt."  
  
"He won't get hurt anyway," Jack said. "Let him go or you will."  
  
Sam was on the edge of the doorway, and one of the airmen had grabbed her arm and pulled her out. She watched shakily as the desperate man pressed his gun further into Daniel's neck.  
  
"I'm going to start counting," Jack said.  
  
"You won't risk hitting him," Grant said assuredly.  
  
"Three," Jack began.  
  
Grant looked around nervously--seeing only walls and guns aimed at him.  
  
"Two," Jack spoke softly. Two was more than enough, he decided.  
  
Grant had just turned to face him, his eyes locking with Jack's as Jack pulled the trigger. He hit his mark, and fell limply towards the floor. Jack reached out and grabbed Daniel, pushing him behind himself and Teal'c.  
  
He looked down at Grant. There was a tranquilizer dart sticking out from his neck.  
  
"Tranquilizers?" Sam said with a smile.  
  
"Yes, well--I wanted to use bullets because they're cheaper, but then Teal'c here brought up the small matter of needing to know what he's told the NID."  
  
Daniel pushed his way back towards the front of the crowd, and looked down at the unconscious Grant. "Good job, Jack," he said with a grin. "How come we never use those off world?"  
  
"Didn't you hear me? Bullets are cheaper."  
  
Daniel sighed. Small steps. He was helping Jack to make small steps away from the military mindset.  
  
"You two okay?" Jack demanded gruffly--the teasing tone gone.  
  
"Fine, sir," Sam said with a small smile. "I was worried about Daniel. He kept bait--" Sam trailed off as Daniel made frantic 'STOP' motions.  
  
Jack turned slowly to face Daniel. "Daniel?" he drawled.  
  
"Jack?"  
  
"Were you being the quiet hostage I've told you to be in these situations?"  
  
"Yes, Jack." This quite clearly meant 'No, Jack.'  
  
"And did you come straight to me when you had found out who the spy was?"  
  
Daniel bit his lip. "I thought maybe you would be in Sam's lab."  
  
"Daniel," Jack snapped resignedly.  
  
"Look on the bright side, Jack. I got my device back."  
  
______________________________________________________  
  
Epilogue  
  
Daniel tapped his pencil along the edge of his desk, staring at the silver orb he placed in front of him.  
  
"A game?"  
  
Daniel looked up at the interruption. Jack was standing in the doorway. "Excuse me?"  
  
"You told the guy it was a game? Is it a game? Sam said you bluffed so well she wasn't entirely sure you weren't telling the truth."  
  
"No, no it isn't a game. Actually, it's a bomb with enough destructive power to take out an entire continent."  
  
Jack froze. "Really?"  
  
Daniel nodded. "Yes. Um.I think we should probably have it taken back to the world we found it."  
  
"You mean to tell me that guy was carrying around a bomb all day long?" Jack snapped incredulously.  
  
"Yes--we're very lucky he didn't accidentally set it off."  
  
Jack sighed and sat in the chair on the opposite side of Daniel's desk. He picked up the phone. "General? Hello to you to, sir. I'm having a pleasant day, thank you. Would you mind sending a decontamination to Daniel's lab? What? No, no nothing's wrong. We've just got a bomb here that could take out North America on a whim. Yes, sir. That sounds like a good idea, sir."  
  
Jack set the phone back down.  
  
"What did he say?" Daniel asked.  
  
"They'll be here in a minute. He's already ordered an emergency redial to the planet."  
  
Daniel nodded. "That's good," he said as the emergency klaxons went off again.  
  
"Oh and he says hi," Jack added.  
  
The de contamination team stormed into the office, wearing their plastic contamination suits. Jack waved to them cheerfully as the carefully picked the device up in what appeared to be a giant pair of salad prongs and then left the way they had come.  
  
"So what are you doing tonight? Have any plans?"  
  
"Uh.no, I don't think so. Why?"  
  
"I'm in the mood for some salad," Jack said. Turning and walking out of the office, knowing Daniel would follow.  
  
Daniel jogged up beside him.  
  
"Let's go get Carter and Teal'c."  
  
The two got into the elevator, and leaned against the back of the car. The emergency alarms finally stopped blaring.  
  
"I guess they got the device safely back to the planet," Daniel said.  
  
"Yeah. Close call. Hey, you want to get some pizza with the salad?"  
  
"I could go for some pizza."  
  
The End. 


End file.
